Judges 3
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
Inilah bangsa-bangsa yang TUHAN biarkan tinggal di Kanaan: kelima kerajaan orang Filistin, semua orang Kanaan, orang Sidon, dan orang Hewi yang tinggal di Gunung Libanon, mulai dari Gunung Baal Hermon sampai ke jalan masuk Hamat. TUHAN membiarkan mereka tinggal di sana untuk menguji generasi bangsa Israel yang tidak mengalami perang merebut Kanaan. TUHAN hendak melatih generasi baru itu untuk berperang.
2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;
3 namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.
4 And they were there, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
TUHAN memakai bangsa-bangsa itu untuk menguji apakah bangsa Israel akan taat kepada perintah yang Dia sampaikan kepada nenek moyang mereka melalui Musa.
5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;
Tetapi sementara bangsa Israel hidup di antara orang Kanaan, Het, Amori, Feris, Hewi, dan Yebus,
6 and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
mereka melakukan kawin campur dengan orang-orang itu dan menyembah dewa-dewa mereka.
7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.
Dalam pandangan TUHAN, bangsa Israel sudah menjadi sangat jahat. Mereka melupakan TUHAN, Allah mereka, dan menyembah berbagai macam dewa Baal serta dewi Asyera.
8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
Maka TUHAN sangat marah kepada bangsa Israel dan menyerahkan mereka ke tangan Raja Kusan Risyataim dari Aram Naharaim. Raja itu menguasai bangsa Israel selama delapan tahun
9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
sehingga bangsa Israel berseru-seru minta tolong kepada TUHAN. Lalu Dia mengutus seorang penyelamat untuk mereka, yaitu Otniel, anak dari adik Kaleb yang bernama Kenas.
10 And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.
Roh TUHAN menggerakkan Otniel sehingga dia menjadi pembela bagi bangsa Israel. Dia memimpin pasukan Israel pergi berperang melawan Raja Kusan Risyataim, dan TUHAN memberikan kemenangan kepadanya.
11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Maka negeri itu pun aman dari musuh selama empat puluh tahun, sampai Otniel meninggal dunia.
12 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
Bangsa Israel kembali berbuat jahat di mata TUHAN. Karena kejahatan mereka, TUHAN membuat Raja Eglon dari Moab menjadi kuat sehingga dia menguasai Israel.
13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.
Raja Eglon mengajak bangsa Amon dan Amalek untuk bergabung dengannya. Mereka menyerang dan mengalahkan bangsa Israel serta merebut kota Yeriko (yang disebut juga Kota Pohon Kurma).
14 And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
Lalu Israel dijajah oleh Eglon selama delapan belas tahun.
15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed; and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.
Tetapi ketika bangsa Israel berseru meminta tolong kepada TUHAN, TUHAN mengangkat seorang penyelamat untuk mereka, yaitu Ehud anak Gera dari suku Benyamin. Ehud adalah seorang yang kidal. Selama ini Ehud bertugas sebagai pengantar pajak dari bangsa Israel kepada Eglon, raja Moab.
16 And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
Ehud membuat sebuah pedang bermata dua yang panjangnya hampir setengah meter. Dia menyembunyikan pedang itu di balik bajunya dengan mengikatkannya pada paha kanan,
17 And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab — now Eglon was a very fat man.
lalu dia pergi untuk menyerahkan pembayaran pajak kepada Raja Eglon. Eglon ini sangat gemuk badannya.
18 And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the present.
Sesudah menyerahkan pembayaran, Ehud bersama orang-orang yang menyertai dia membawa pajak itu pun berjalan pulang.
19 But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said: 'I have a secret errand unto thee, O king.' And he said: 'Keep silence.' And all that stood by him went out from him.
Tetapi ketika sampai di patung-patung batu di Gilgal, Ehud sendiri kembali ke istana Eglon dan berkata kepadanya, “Tuanku Raja, hamba datang membawa pesan rahasia untuk Tuanku.” Kata raja kepada para pelayannya, “Keluar!” Maka semua pelayannya meninggalkan
20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said: 'I have a message from God unto thee.' And he arose out of his seat.
mereka berdua di ruangan yang sejuk di loteng istana. Eglon sedang duduk ketika Ehud mendekati dia dan berkata, “Hamba membawa pesan dari Allah untuk Tuanku Raja.” Lalu Eglon pun berdiri dari tempat duduknya.
21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
Saat itu juga Ehud mencabut pedangnya dengan tangan kiri dan menikam perut Eglon
22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his belly; and it came out behind.
sampai seluruh pedang itu tertancap masuk dan tertutup oleh lemak. Usus besarnya pun terburai keluar. Ehud tidak mencabut pedangnya kembali.
23 Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and locked them.
Kemudian Ehud keluar diam-diam lewat jalan lain setelah mengunci semua pintu ruang atas itu.
24 Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.'
Sesudah Ehud pergi, para pelayan Eglon datang dan heran melihat pintu-pintu ruangan atas terkunci. Sangka mereka, “Raja pasti sedang buang air besar di kamar kecil di ruangannya itu.”
25 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; therefore they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
Para pelayan itu menunggu-nunggu begitu lama sampai mereka kebingungan karena raja tidak juga membuka pintu. Akhirnya, mereka mengambil kunci dan membuka pintunya. Saat itulah mereka terperanjat karena melihat tuan mereka sudah tergeletak mati di lantai.
26 And Ehud escaped while they lingered, having passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.
Sedangkan Ehud sudah lari melewati patung-patung batu dan sampai ke Seira sementara para pelayan tadi sedang menunggu-nunggu.
27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a horn in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.
Ketika Ehud tiba di perbukitan Efraim, dia meniup terompet dan perintahkan, “Ikutlah aku! TUHAN sudah menyerahkan musuh kita, bangsa Moab, ke tangan kita.” Maka Ehud memimpin bangsa Israel turun dari perbukitan itu dan mereka merebut daerah penyeberangan orang Moab di sungai Yordan. Mereka tidak membiarkan seorang pun menyeberang.
28 And he said unto them: 'Follow after me; for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.' And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29 And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man.
Pada waktu itu bangsa Israel menyerang dan membunuh sekitar sepuluh ribu prajurit Moab yang kuat dan tangkas. Tidak ada satu pun yang lolos.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
Demikianlah Israel mengalahkan Moab hari itu, dan negeri mereka pun aman selama delapan puluh tahun.
31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad; and he also saved Israel.
Sesudah Ehud, orang berikutnya yang menyelamatkan Israel adalah Samgar, anak Anat. Dalam pertempuran, dia membunuh enam ratus orang Filistin dengan tongkat penggiring sapi.
